Safety Knights

I have also thought about this while working for a previous employer. I thought about checking to see if I could get the fire department's rescue team out to train a few of our employees. I never had the need or opportunity to have to reach out to them for that training before I left the company but it is a thought.

The only OSHA standard that requires on-site rescue is 1910.134 when it's involving IDLH atmospheres. Aside from that, it's a recommended best practice outside of the confined space realm. I've conducted multiple high-angle rescue courses across the country in a variety of different industries that you wouldn't think of this in, such as Walmart distribution centers.

High-angle rescue is more complex than some people might think. I was a career Firefighter/EMT in Louisville (KY) for 10 years and was fortunate enough (for me) to be involved with the technical rescue a lot (e.g., high/low angle, hazmat, confined space, trench, etc.). However, always vet your fire department because 75% of the firefighters across the US are volunteer, which means a delayed response when you need it.

When I taught high angle and CSE rescue my first response for inquiring minds was to call the FD. I put them on speaker and then asked about their high angle or CSE rescue capabilities. I lost count of how many times the response was “our what?”
A man basket and crane is a good option if all is done correctly. The basket has to be certified and load tested as does the crane. The crane must be dedicated to the operation involving the man basket. Fall arrest must be employed and over water a PFD must be for each member in the basket.
I have done this work over dams a couple of times.

In my opinion, I would have the workers using personal fall arrest systems and I would have a high angle rescue standby team present during this work. This is based on my reading of 1926.1431 and 1926.502 as well as the ANSI Fall Protection Code.

Additionally, if they are working over water you would also need a water rescue team/boat on standby as well.

I would also recommend looking into utilizing rope access techniques to perform the work. I don’t know what work specifically is being done, but utilizing rope access can potentially be significantly cheaper and more efficient. A rope access team would also have the inherent ability to rescue themselves/each other.

I would call your local fire department. Not every fire department has rescue capabilities, and the ones that do sometimes keep bare minimum equipment on hand to maintain light, medium or heavy rescue for that state and may only keep 200 foot sections of rope on hand.

As a retired firefighter, I would agree with what others have said. High angle rescue is a technical rescue scenario that not all fire dept. will be able to perform, especially when you are talking about 420 ft descent.

I think it also depends on the OSHA standard you play in. In 1910 I do not know of a specific requirement for specifying rescue teams except 1910.134. I am no expert on 1926 or 1928. I do know rescue teams are talked a lot about it 1915&1917. But I have only played in them a little bit. I had a boat builder tell OSHA they regularly did PRCS rescue training with the local fire department. When OSHA asked for documentation they did not have it. Whatever you do DOCUMENT IT!